Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are implicated in aging, diabetes, heart disease and inflammation in the body. One way they form is when glucose in the blood combines with a protein. They are a byproduct of carbohydrate metabolism. My local paper has a column by Dr. James Dillard, MD last week about carbohydrates and it mentions AGEs. I hadn't thought about AGEs in a while but the truth is they are forming in my body all the time. Especially Christmas day. I wish I had read Dr. Dillards column before then. Maybe I would have gone a little easier on the desserts which was his intentions for his readers but I over did it and had a terrible headache by the end of the day. Another way AGEs form is cooking foods at high temperatures. Caramelization and browning gives food the flavor we all love but it forms them too. Your body can handle a certain amount of AGEs but Diabetics with blood glucose that is not well controlled or have hyperglycemia are especially susceptible to tissue damage from the accumulation of AGEs.
If you want to reduce you expose through food limit the amount of grilled, broiled, fried meats. Steam fish and seafood, simmer chicken in a sauce. Eat lots of of fruits or vegetables. Cooked or raw they are low in AGEs. Try a water saute next time you want to cook some onion or garlic instead of in oil.
Consume carbohydrates that are truly whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, millet for example. Most cereals are not whole grains even the organic kind. Whole wheat bread is not a whole grain. Look for bread that is sprouted whole grain berries. Limit the amount of desserts to special occasions like New Years Eve my Mom's 80th birthday so I am having dessert.
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